HIGHLANDER: THE ANIMATED SERIES

 

“Seven centuries have passed since the Earth plunged into darkness. Seven centuries since the Jettators swore to regain for man his lost knowledge and freedom. All the Immortals took the oath… all except one who dominates the world. But soon an immortal will come to confront him. His name is Quentin MacLeod. He is… the Highlander…”

 

Highlander: The Animated Series was a loose ‘spin-off’ produced by Gaumont Multimedia. It would be broadcast in 1994. As could probably be expected, the idea was generally far removed from some of the hard-core elements of the film franchise – essentially ignoring anything to do with the live-action series and cherry-picking elements from the movies.

The Animated Series – running to forty episodes split unevenly into two seasons – would also embrace those more overt ‘cosmic’ credentials and set its tales in a future 700 years after a potential meteorite strike – and mankind’s overt nuclear reaction – almost wiped out humanity and all the Immortals had apparently been killed or put down their swords. They were now known as the mythical ‘Jettators’, the name being derived from the French to ‘throw away…’.

Of course, not all of them had actually taken part in that truce… every series needs a villain and the rather Doctor Doom-esque ‘Kortan’ filled that role.  As seen in a flashback in the show’s fourth episode, Connor had taken him on and been defeated, subsequently put to death for his unsuccessful challenge of the would-be world-dominator. But his demise had ignited a further legend that would see a new MacLeod rise at some point, unbound by the specific Jettator oath of non-interference and destined to eventually defeat Kortan (who now controls the world from the mighty fortress city called Mogonda).

In the Highlands, the young and naïve Quentin ‘dies’ defending the Clan Dundee (from Kortan’s evil henchman, Arak) and his ‘mother’ also perishes… but not before she reveals to him his true heritage as a MacLeod and  the age-old prophecy that Quentin is the chosen one. Quentin encounters another warrior, first glimpsed when he was much younger and not yet ready to take up his quest.  The stranger is the Jettator Don Vincente Marino Ramirez… the man who will tell him the secrets of the past and become his mentor. Together, with Quentin’s adoptive sister Clyde and their pet animal Gaul, they set out to find the other Jettators, claiming their individual power not by taking their heads but by grasping the same sword and sharing their wisdom. Eventually, Quentin may claim enough power and wisdom to defeat his Immortal enemy, but he has many lessons and experiences to journey through first…

(A video game based on the series called Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods was released for the Atari Jaguar CD.)

SEASON ONE:

THE LAST OF THE MACLEODS

A TASTE OF BETRAYAL

THE LAST WEAPON

MELVYN THE MAGNIFICENT

THE SOUND OF MADNESS

THE SUSPENDED VILLAGE

EXODUS

THE CURSED

THE HISTORY LESSON

THE VALLEY OF THE THORN PODS

FALLOUT

THE COURAGE OF LOVE

THE SETUP

 

SEASON TWO:

THE SWORD OF EVIL

THE EYE OF HEAVEN

THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

THE TREASURE IN THE SAND

ORANE

THE SECRET PRISON

DEAD RINGER

ORION’S REIGN

RAGE OF THE HURRICANE

OBLIVION

LORD FOR A DAY

THE SIEGE OF THE DUNDEES

THE BLOOD OF MY ENEMY

VALKA

THE SURVIVORS FROM OUTER SPACE

KING OF THE ANTS

EAGLE VALLEY

ISLE OF GRANS

THE REVENGE OF THE SHANTYTOWN

TRICK OF THE LIGHT

THE DOUBLE

CULT OF THE IMMORTAL

PLAYING WITH FIRE

TRICKS OF THE MIND

MATSUDA

ICE DWELLERS

COUNTDOWN